Fire-escape



(No Model.)

J. HIMELBERGER FIRE ESCAPE. No. 434,709. Patented Aug. 19, 1890.

NH 72 .1. I

: UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB HIMELBERGER, OF HOIIT, MICHIGAN.

Fl RE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,709, dated August 19, 1890.

Application filed my 13, 1890. Serial No. 351,651. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AOOB HIMELBERGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Holt, in the county of Ingham and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements inFire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fire-escapes; and. the invention consists inthe peculiar construction of an extension-ladder running upon a track stationarily secured to the building, and in the peculiar construction of the ladder, whereby it may be swung out over cornices, wires, balconies, &c., and whereby it may be moved from one window to another and around corners, if necessary and further, in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings which accompany this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my device applied to a building. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the carrier with the head of the ladder. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through one of the hangers.

A is a track secured to the side of the house at any desired elevation by means of the brackets B. At the corners of the house I form the curved section 0 in the track, and upon the outside of the rail the guard-flange D, preventing the possibility of the rope slipping from the track in turning the corner.

The carrier is of the following construction E are hangers in which are journaled the grooved wheels F, adapted to ride uponthe top of the rail. These hangers at their lower ends have the foot-piece G. Upon both sides of the hanger are secured the guide-rollers H H, adapted to bear against the front and rear side of the rail. The two parts of the carrier are independently swiveled together to the connecting-bar I, a bolt J acting as the connection between the connecting-bar I and each of the hangers, and also sustaining the blocks K, in which is pivotally connected the upper ends of the ladder L. The ladder L is provided with the sliding extension M, which may be raised by means of the rope N passing over the pulley 0, arranged on the cross-bar P. at the upper end of the ladder L. At each end of the track grooved wheels Q are provided, over which pass the ropes R R, extending down and near to the ground and connected at their upper ends into the brackets S upon the hangers E.

The parts being thus constructed and arranged, their operation is as follows: In the event of a fire the ladder may be drawn to any desired point upon the rail by drawing upon one of the ropes R R. It is easily drawn around a corner of the building upon the curved section 0, owing to the fact that each of the brackets is independently swiveled so that there will be no binding at that point. Should wires or c'ornices be encountered in moving it around the building, the ladder may be moved outward, and by being turned on its pivots, as plainly shown in Fig. 2, pass the obstruction. The extension M may be lowered by loosening the rope N and bringing the bottom of the ladder close to the ground. It will thus-be seen that I have provided means for meeting all of the requirements of such fire-escape applied to buildings of ordinary construction, and have provided means for making a single fire-escape do for a large building by moving it rapidly from one point to another.

The track may be placed. below the top window, so that people from the upper story may step down upon the ladder and those in the lower stories may step-upon it from the windows below.

IVhat I claim as my invention is 1. In a fire-escape of the kind described, the combination of a supporting-rail having a flange-guard at its turning-point, a carrier consisting of two hangers pivotally connected at their bottoms, grooved rollers journaled in said hangers, a foot on the base of the hangers having vertical guide-rolls extending therefrom for retaining the hangers in place, and brackets for the reception of a rope secured to the outside of the hangers, and a ladder pivotally connected to the lower end of the hangers, substantially as described.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination of the supporting-rail having a flangeguard at its turning-point, a carrier consisting of two in- ICO dependently movable hangers connected at In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, their lower ends, a foot immediately above in presence of two witnesses, this 31st day of lo the point of connection, rolls extending up March, 1890.

from said foot adapted to retain the hangers in a vertical position, and a ladder pivotally JACOB HIMELBERGER connected to the lower end of the ha ngers by Witnesses:

means of blocks K, permitting a forward S. \V. MAYER.

movement only, substantially as described. WM. BRENNEN. 

